Francis b



(No Model.)

F. B. GREEK.

POKE.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS B. GREER, OF BARNHILL, ILLINOIS.

P O K E SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,175, dated August 26, 1890.

Application filed March 3, 1890- Serial No. 342,348. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS B. GEEER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Barnhill, in the county of WVayne and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Animal-Pokes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and ex act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The special object of the invention is to prevent breechy stock from jumping over fences or inclosures.

The invention will first'be described in connection with the drawings, and then pointed out in the claim.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a plan view, Fig. 2 a side elevation, and Fig. 3 a vertical cross-section.

I11 the drawings, A represents ahalter consisting of the vertical head-strap a, the front nose-strap a, and the. rear jaw-strap a all pivoted to the opposite rings B B, so as to have some play thereon.

The stock-yoke consists of the curved piece or plate 0, carrying two opposite snap-hooks D D, which are pivoted and connect with the halter-rings, the balance=arms E E, which project back from the elastic plate 0, and the front projecting-bar F, pivoted in a slot g of the piece G, which is riveted to, the plate 0, or may form one piece therewith. The arms g g are connected by three rivets g g g, the first forming the pivot on which the bar F turns, and the other two stops between which the tail end f of the bar or lever F may move, so that it will not rise above a horizontal plane and cannot go below the proper downward incline. The yoke is connected by the snap-hooks with the rings of the halter, so that there is abalance or one-half the weight is on the opposite sides of the halter-rings. Thus the yoke is balanced on its support like a pair of scales, while the lever or bar F will prevent the animal from approaching close to the fence. One of the arms E being against each shoulder of the horse, the poke cannot get turned at right angles to him so as to allow of his close approach to the fence, while the poke cannot be broken or made to bruise the shoulder of the horse when suddenly given a lateral push against a fence or other station which yields and afterward springs back, so as to bring each part of the poke to its original and relative position. Connected with the snap-hooks is an auxiliary nose piece I, connected at its middle with the nose-strap by the hook H, which hangs from said strap, or by a buckle strap, if preferred. The arms E E must not extend back so far as to interfere with the shoulders of the animal, but may contain such weights as will balance that on the front lever-bar F, its weight f being made adjustable, and its end being beveled to slide more conveniently on the ground. The balance of the yoke makes it easier for the horse to carry and strains the halter less than where the yoke hangs perpendicularly. The auxiliary nose-bandI prevents the yoke from revolving when the front lever-bar F meets any obstruction, and also the double action of the snap-hooks, which would otherwise take place. The tendency to revolve is efiectually avoided because the rear cannot pass the center of gravity, and when the horse yields the yoke must assume its proper position. The horse is also rendered powerless to throw the. yoke over the fence, because as he throws his head up and down it passes ary object, on account of the elastic plate C,

freely through the curved piece 0. Hence he can only agitate the yoke slightly, the latter tending to go down as his head goes up. If the animal is very breechy, the weight on the front lever-bar F may be adjusted out toward its free end and thus cause said bar to be on a greater incline to the earth and to be more sensibly felt. The jointing of the bar F enables it to adjust itself to suit the position of the horse when eating.

Having thus described all that isnecessary to a full understanding of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to protect by Let ters Patent, is

In an anin1al-poke, the front bar F, pivoted in the holder G, and the rear balance-arms E E, in combination with an intermediate curved spring-plate C, provided with the snap-hooks D D, arranged to suspend the poke on a balance from the headstall of a horse, whereby it will work as described.

In testimony whereof, I aiiix. my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS B. GREER.

Witnesses:

GEO. SKELTON, T. R. ELLIOTT. 

